McCann Health calls on Piasecki to head region

Marci Piasecki was promoted to regional director, North America, with oversight over all five US professional agencies in McCann Health. Hers is the most senior of a series of personnel moves IPG's McCann Health says it made to bolster the North American operation.

With the promotion, Piasecki, longtime CEO of the Torre Lazur Group and its three professional agencies, takes on two more. Her remit now spans McCann Torre Lazur and McCann Echo Torre Lazur, along with McCann Regan Campbell Ward and McCann RCW Healthcare. McCann Managed Markets, renamed without the “TL,” makes five.

"I am honored and eager to assume this new level of leadership within McCann Health,” said Marci Piasecki in a statement expected to be released today. “Equally importantly, I am excited for my colleagues who have worked alongside me to provide our network with their expanded responsibilities.”

John Cahill, the company's global CEO, called Piasecki “an extraordinary leader and pillar” of the network who has maintained growth “whatever the business environment,” while attracting and retaining staff and clients.

Head of North America is a newly created position, the catalyst for which was the regionalization of the US professional units within the McCann Health global network. The move put North America on par with Asia-Pacific, Europe and the leaders in each of those regions.

Piasecki's ascendance prompted a series of other staff changes. The reins of McCann Torre Lazur, an agency Piasecki led for eight years, were handed to Bill McEllen, whose new title became president of McCann Torre Lazur Group, overseeing McCann Torre Lazur and McCann Echo Torre Lazur.

Sonja Foster-Storch, formerly managing director of Omnicom's CDM Princeton, was hired to succeed McEllen as president of McCann Echo Torre Lazur, an agency he headed for four years.

Meanwhile, on the RCW side, Maureen Regan remains president of McCann Regan Campbell Ward Group, which consists of McCann Regan Campbell Ward and McCann RCW Healthcare. Brendan Ward took on a science role for the agency and Richard Campbell retained his role as head of planning.

And finally, roster brands at all four agencies will now have access to cost-and-coverage services courtesy of McCann Managed Markets. The shop realigned, moving out of the McCann Torre Lazur Group so its services are more accessible to all US professional shops in the reconfigured North American region. Kim Wishnow-Per was promoted to president of the agency, from managing director.